By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — Shaves and Fades barbershop on Winona Avenue opened its doors for free haircuts to the community Thanksgiving Day morning and saw a huge turnout.
Before 8 a.m., the barbershop at 2128 E. Winona Avenue, Warsaw, had more than two dozen people — kids and adults — inside waiting for free cuts.
Emmanuel Arias, 28, said he was inspired recently by a young boy who came to the barbershop to help pay for a friend’s haircut but said he had no money for his own.
“It really moved me that he would do that for his friends, so I decided I would do the same for the community,” Arias said.
Jeffrey Ortega, owner of the barbershop, came in early Thursday after realizing how busy they would be a busy and was excited about the turnout.
Ortego, who has owned the barbershop for close to two years, said they had previously given away free haircuts at the business for back-to-school, but that was “nothing like this.”
The barbers cut hair from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and remained busy.
With a large crowd assembled by 8 in the morning, Arias looked at the crowd and said he did not find it daunting.
“I got long day ahead of me and I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “It makes me feel good.”
